20150110

#issaeats: Pomodoro Pizza

Since early 2014, Friday night was pasta night and Saturday night was Zark's night. But I decided to change the plan a bit. While Fridays were dedicated for pasta, I coaxed my dad into exploring different places every Saturday instead of having the usual Zark's. Fun fact: The last time I ate in Zarks was October 25, 2014. The last time I went to Zark's was around December, though I didn't eat anything. The staff probably miss us now! As much as I'll miss Zark's burgers, I don't think I'll be eating there anytime soon! Not only is it because of their high calorie burgers (Yes, I'm THAT calorie counting/obsessed person), but because it's also becoming... "mainstream" in a way. That and the prices have raised but the size remains the same. A bit smaller, actually!

Anyway, since I didn't make any spaghetti last night, we decided to check out Pomodoro, this hole-in-the-wall in Kapitolyo.

om nom nom

It's a bit hidden, actually. But you'll be able to see it right beside Egg-It and Fom's. I forgot to take photos of the outside part of the place. There were a lot of people and I felt like it'd be a bit weird if I snapped a photo. That being said, I'll just let you know that you have to be ready to wait, especially if you're having dinner there. I think it's a popular place, so the waiting will be worth it.

It's not your usual Italian place. Or any kind of restaurant design whatsoever. When I say it's your typical hole-in-the-wall, I meant it. Inside is a small space where there are three small tables and the kitchen, while the outside has two big tables. It's a small space (one more time I mention the word small, I'll end up making it into a drinking game), but still well-lit, clean and with a good design. And anyway, I'm in it for the food and not the place itself, so long as it's clean and the food's good, I'm fiiiiine.

The great thing about Pomodoro is that it's very budget friendly! Most, if not all, their pastas are under 150 PHP. Their pizzas range from 150-200 PHP for a 10 inch, or 170-250 PHP for the 12 inch. I ordered their pesto with italian chicken (119 PHP), my sister ordered the Pasta Arrabiata (109 PHP), while my dad ordered the Aglio Olio with shrimp (99 PHP). I also ordered a 10 inch Napoletana pizza (149 PHP).

It usually takes 10-20 minutes for your order to arrive, which is both a pro and con. A pro because you know that they really prepare that dish for you and it isn't readily made pasta that just needs to be microwaved (yech), a con because you must be a hungry person who wants it fast. But instead of tapping your fingers on the table or pretending to text someone or tweeting where you are, put the phone down and talk with whoever you're with! And hopefully it'll be with me because I do want to have a reason to go back haha

The first to arrive was the pizza. The Napoletana consists of tinapa, olives, cheese and basil. I wouldn't say it was flip-the-table fantastic, but it was something I could keep eating without getting sawa with the taste. It really reminded me of the homemade pizza my grandma used to make! But instead of tinapa, it was sardines she added. The flavor hit close to home that I had to get another slice. I also liked the fact that they use thin instead of thick crust. Both my dad and Inna loved how it tasted, and I know they're telling the truth, because for the first time, Inna ate the whole slice without picking off any of the olives!

Inna's Pasta Arrabiata was delicious! It's made of shrimp, garlic and their Pomodoro sauce. The only complaint was that even if she picked the chili out, it was too spicy for her taste. But for me, I'd give it a 10.

My dad's Aglio Olio tasted just as delicious. Though it was just shrimp, olive oil and garlic, it had a lot of flavor and just the right amount of cheese to satisfy my taste buds. The shrimp in both Inna and papa's pasta was tender and tasted great. Don't mind how messy the photo was; papa took it and that's the way he eats wahaha

I've been craving for pesto for a long time now, and though I ordered one from Sandwich Guy, it didn't satisfy my taste buds. But this one did! While it wasn't as delicious as my dad's, it hit just the spot. I liked the fact that there's a lot of pesto sauce and they weren't such scrooges when it comes to putting sauce and olive oil.

The servings were big enough to satisfy my hunger! It wasn't too big, but it wasn't small (again with my overusing of the word small) either. And that's exactly how I like it to avoid overeating or going home with a slightly disappointed stomach. And with a price of 119 PHP, it was definitely worth it! Along with the pizza and pasta, I was pretty full after the whole meal.

My only complaint was their garlic bread. I could practically see through it because of how thin they sliced it. My dad ordered another three pieces for him and my sister (Which was 8 PHP each), but it wasn't filling enough and were so thinly sliced, I don't know if you would even taste anything. But the garlic spread tasted great. If their bread was a bit thicker, I'd have no complaints of the place whatsoever.

Verdict: Service + Place + Food + Price = 8.5/10! The place was a bit too cramped to accommodate all its customers, and the garlic bread was just bleh. But great service, good food and in prices that can save my wallet from crying, I'm going back here once the Italian cravings kick in!